Need to make a decision fast 5.7/6.1/340

The Hemi has more potential in the long run (in my opinion at least), which is one of the main reasons I went with one over an older style engine. I was debating a small block stroker build, a supercharged junkyard Magnum build, an aluminum big block build, and a modern hemi swap and they all had similar starting prices. You had to build the smallblocks up quite a bit though and they became pretty high strung to get the same kind of power a modern Hemi could get with far less parts. My mileage has slowly creeped up as I've worked on the tune and other stuff, but in reality I'm still pushing a brick through the air so I can't expect too much. The mileage hasn't changed much from the 16mpg I was getting with the junkyard 318 that was in the car when I bought it, but I have probably doubled the horsepower and still get 16-18 mpg. Might be closing in on the magic 20 I've been aiming for with some better tuning.

more potential? guess that all depends what you want in the end...

i'm not saying either is better but i have a friend with a real mild 360. stock bore and stroke and a 3.23 gear and FAST EZ EFI thing dips in the 12's and gets about 17mpg. between the motor and efi i bet he maybe has 5k into it. only thing in the bottom end thats not stock is the kb 107's. it even has stock rebuilt smog heads on it. i'll bet he hasn't checked the mpg with the new headers and exhaust either. it was really choked up before now its a ton more free flowing so i would think et and mpg have improved. i'd like to see what an OD trans would do for the car too..

whats a abody with a 3.23 gear and a modern hemi run in the quarter? i know of a coronet with a 5.7 and 3.23 and it was dipping into the mid -high 13's so a stock 5.7 is no slouch either...

someone should do an article on the pluses and minuses of both with ballpark dollars it takes to do them..


i know if i were doing a modern hemi swap all i'd want is a stock 57 or 6.1 running a stock computer with all the efi and an od of some sorts in it... i don't need to be going crazy with all kinds of mods because it would be more a cruiser then anything else..